Once a Trickster, Always a Trickster
by Bane-Dane
Summary: Even after getting his first job, Niou can't give up being a trickster.


A/N: One year and I'm still here! Yes, BaneKicksDavid has finally been on this site a year (though I only started putting fanfiction on here back in December).Anyways, to celebrate, I wrote a one-shot with my second favortie PoT character, Niou Masaharu, as the star. Thanks to awin-chan for betaing this. This story means a lot to me and I'm happy she agreed to beta. Hope you enjoy this.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Prince of Tennis. Takeshi Konomi does. If I did own the Prince of Tennis we'd at least see the regulars graduate from middle school.

Edit: Italics means flashback.

* * *

The last class of the day always seemed to pass by slowly for Niou Masaharu, Geometry teacher at Rikkaidai Senior High School

The last class of the day always seemed to pass by slowly for Niou Masaharu, Geometry teacher at Rikkaidai Senior High School. There was one particular student that always fell asleep when he was teaching a lesson or when he gave the students their homework to work on to end the class. Niou came to realize that this particular student didn't seem to fall asleep because he was a bad teacher. Niou had heard several of his past students recommending him to possible students coming in the next year. Also, most of his students came with grins on their faces, actually looking eager to learn. It also wasn't because the student was failing. In fact, the boy was passing with a solid A-. With the end of the year was just around the corner, Niou decided to take matters into his own hands. He'd pull out one of the greatest tricks he had come up with in a long time. He called it Operation April Fool's.

* * *

"_I can't believe we finally graduated from_ _high school. It feels like only yesterday we were competing in nationals against Seigaku three years ago_._" Marui reached his arms to sky after a lengthy graduation ceremony._

"_We'll have to keep in touch. With such a large world who knows where we'll all end up." Yukimura smiled to his friends_._" By the way, what are you guys planning on doing now that we're out?"_

"_I think I'll go to a cooking school and open up my own sweet shop. It'll be the best shop in Kanegawa!" Marui shouted to the skies._

"_I might go back to Brazil for college then return here_._" Jackal sighed," I still have no idea what I want to do."_

"_I think I might go into the art field," Yukimura said after an extended silence_._" I've started to have a fascination with art over the last year. That or I'll go into the medical field."_

"_I don't think I have to say what I'm going to do, but I'll say it anyways. I'm going to be a scientist. Sadaharu and I are going to be attending the same college," Renji described his soon_-_to_-_be future._

"_I want to be a school disciplinary officer," Sanada said quietly but Marui overheard and teased the stoic boy._

"_I think I'll become a math teacher."_

"_WHAT?!"_

* * *

On the last day of school for the week Niou planned to begin operation April Fool's. As the students filed in, Niou pulled aside the sleepy student and asked him to bring his long forgotten lunch tray back to the cafeteria. Reluctantly, the student agreed and Niou began to speak to the remainder of his class.

"Listen, when he gets back," Niou motion to where the student was," I'm going to announce that we have a test. I want all of you to act as though you knew about this all along."

"But Niou-sensei," a student spoke up after Niou called on her," What are we going to do until he gets back."

"You'll be working on tonight's homework from yesterday's lesson" Niou pointed to the homework section that was labeled on the board. " If you comply with my plan then all of you won't have any homework next week. But, you must act as if you know what you're doing and don't give yourselves away."

Smiling, the students got out their workbooks and began their homework.

* * *

"_Niou-kun, you want to be a teacher?" Yagyuu was the first one to speak up._

"_Well, think about it Hiroshi. I know how to push every teacher's button to the point of insanity. If I become a teacher, then I can stop those students before they get sent to Sanada to get backhanded across the face," Niou explained._

"_It's your life, Niou," Yukimura spoke," and I don't have any say in what you want to do with your life."_

"_At least you're not going to be begging for money off the street," Jackal joked and received a healthy slap on the back of his head._

* * *

When the sleepy student returned he was quite shocked to find out that there was a test he didn't know about. Niou had provided problems from the Pre-Calculus course book that Sanada had provided him with since the disciplinary room had several copies of class. And, just as planned, the students pretended that they had learned everything. The sleepy student was silently freaking out in his seat. Several students around him had to stifle their laughter just from seeing his expression.

Finally, at around ten questions later, Niou told the students to hand in their papers because the test was over. When every paper had been handed in, Niou promptly threw every single paper in the trash.

"Hey! Sensei! What was that about?!" the student jumped from his seat in anger," I worked hard on that!"

"Ah, you should treat your sensei with more respect." Niou ." Besides that I have one other thing to tell you." Niou took a dramatic pause. "April Fool's."

"But it's not April," the student replied, confused.

Niou would have crashed to floor had he not needed to keep up his professional appearance.

_

* * *

_

Several months into Niou's first teaching job as an Algebra II teacher at Rikkaidai Senior High School, Sanada was hired as the disciplinary officer at the school. The two had met up immediately after Sanada realized the old trickster was teaching at the same school he was at. Even though the silver haired boy had annoyed the stoic man quite a lot, the two began their friendship like they hadn't had any trouble in their past.

_One day after school had let out for the day, the two met up in the teacher's lounge to talk._

"_Niou," Sanada stirred his cup of coffee several times," do you ever wish that you could go back to being a trickster? Like you were in the past."_

"_Silly Sanada_,_" Niou smirked at his old fukubuchou_._" Once a trickster, always a trickster."_


End file.
